<p>Because people don't know what math is. They think it's just computation and memorizing rules, when really most of it is about proving stuff and thinking about why things work. It's because most math classes before college are taught at a very mechanical, formulaic level. "Put tab A into slot B, memorize how to do such-and-such, and you'll always get the right answer to this type of problem."</p>
<p>Basically, people hate math because they don't take enough of it.</p>
<p>^OF course math explains how things work. Now, how would you explain how the world works?</p>
<p>Math can certainly help.</p>
<p>I love math. Except for geometry. But maybe I really like geometry. i wouldn't know because my teachers are all incompetent.</p>
<p>I'd agree ChaosTheory, those who abhor Math, probably have only experienced
the traditional High School sequence. I'd be surprised to find a lot of people who didn't at least find Number Theory remotely simulating.</p>
<p>I never said math is not interesting. But the social sciences, which include topics on torture, human rights, the definition of human rights, abortion, laws, ethics, justice, euthanasia, the argument from design, all relate to the human much more, and I just find it more interesting than math. Some of the world's greatest thinkers were mathematicians; it is also the case for social scientists.</p>
<p>I really like math. I don't think I've always liked math, but I really get it. I haven't taken uber-advanced courses or anything--the highest I've gotten has been Calc AB--but ever since trig and precalc (10th grade)... I don't know. It's like a puzzle. I love seeing things come together, fit in place. I love how you can do things with math--find the volume of a rotated solid, for example--that you look at (before you've learned the concepts) and go, "How the hell am I supposed to do that???" </p>
<p>Of course it's not the same as social sciences, literature, and other things that have to do with words and human beings. But just because it makes my mind do different things doesn't mean they are distasteful things. Not everything "interesting" has to appeal to our humanity; math stretches the mind away from strictly human affairs and towards more abstract realms, which is interesting to me, if only because of the wonder I feel that we humans can think in abstract ways and discover these incredible truths and concepts that are mysterious because they may not always seem to have a connection to the world as we know it. </p>
<p>If all humans could think about was humanity, where would that put us? I think math puts us higher than that. Mathematics is something beyond us that we have discovered... or invented.</p>
<p>I'm not sure. On other worlds with intelligent life forms, is their mathematics the same as ours? Is it a universal system, or are there other ways to explain the same things?</p>
<p>Math isn't nearly as mechanical as people think. It does, in fact, involve creativity. Your given tools, a puzzle and told to figure it out. Your approach is entirely up to you, so long as you abide by those rules. There's a hard way and a harder way. Besides, applied math is pretty fun. </p>
<p>I like math because there's usually one answer.</p>
<p>I just have a question to ask you guys - have any you learned how to derive the quadratic formula in your math class in high school?</p>
<p>literature and the other social sciences are easy for me. To me, thinking about life is all it is, and for me that's easy.
math is a challenge. it makes me think about things and how they work in a completely new light. it's a challenge, and that's why i love math.</p>
<p>to me, math expands upon philosophy by proving it and disproving it.</p>
<p>--have any you learned how to derive the quadratic formula in your math class in high school?</p>
<p>lol, i wish. i asked my teacher about it, and he gave me the page number in the book that explained it :confused: :(</p>
<p>"All surveys and experiments in the social sciences are much more difficult to interpret with accuracy than those in the field of the [1442] natural sciences."</p>
<p>Totally agree. They are both challenges, but each one has its merits.</p>
<p>I like most math. I just can't grasp more than the basics (probably more than what regular people consider basics, but still, to people who are good at math, it's just bare bones).</p>
<p>But I do like math... I like the puzzle of it. I like figuring things out that... well I had no idea how to do before. I might not be great at it, but I can enjoy it (unless, of course, it involves 5 hours of homework... then I hate it... :p). Then again, like most people here, I just like learning in general. Just for the sake of learning. Of knowing more.</p>
<p>I do like humanities better though...</p>
<p>Anyone here watch Numb3rs? I've only caught a few episodes (because I always forget it's on), but I like that show...</p>
<p>I like it .</p>
<p>
I just have a question to ask you guys - have any you learned how to derive the quadratic formula in your math class in high school?
in my dual-credit college course, yes.</p>
<p>Let me ask you this: do you think people who major in the natural sciences are generally smarter than those who major in the social sciences?</p>
<p>the way they teach in class</p>
<p>*** because of the way they teach it</p>
<p>Well, I don't like math because there is only one answer. With most of my other classes, there can be multiple right answers to questions, and you can twist things to make them fit.</p>
<p>People hate it because they aren't good at it. I used to be good at math, but now I'm not. I loved calculus though. It was fun and challenging and interesting.</p>